Straw bale buildings have employed a wide range of techniques, construction details and finishes around the world. Not all of these are necessarily suitable or recommended for any Australian or New Zealand conditions.
Specific advice should be sought before embarking on any risky undertakings such as construction of a building.
The professional members listed below may be able to assist you with your project. Listings are in alphabetical order by discipline.
If in doubt, ask!
Architects
Bohdan Dorniak
Architects and Town Planners
With a client-centered approach which respects the client's wishes, needs, budgetary constraints and lifestyle, further consideration is given to energy demands and ongoing building efficiency and sustainability. Our challenge and commitment is to create a design to fulfill client needs and site conditions.
Kurt Piccardi
studioGREEN architects is a boutique architectural firm offering a holistic design service. We are strong believers in listening to the client's individual needs and lifestyle giving them what they want.
We specialise in environmentally appropriate design solutions with the project design incorporating the design of the surrounding landscape. The building should be one with its environment.
Builders
Builders
Lance Kairl
Products and Services
Consulting
Lance has an extensive knowledge of working with strawbale as a building medium and can provide consulting packages for designers, builders and owners. His consultancy will assist with
- Demystifying the building regulation and approval processes for strawbale
- Preliminary design considerations
- Construction techniques and viable options
- Technical support and instruction during design process
- Inspection of work in progress, written reports and remedial, rectification steps documented
Building
Our partnership G Thomas and L Kairl Builders is able to contract for full construction of your
- New home
- Extension
- Studio
- Feature garden walls
We will consider full contract construction in the Adelaide Hills, southern suburbs, Fluerieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. In some instances full construction in other areas will be seriously considered.
Assisting Owner Builders
Lance and his team can provide support during the whole process of your strawbale building project (see Building Works Supervisor), or just part of it.
Lance can provide a getting started package, (usually his team for 3 days) with occasional ongoing support.
He can provide a quoted cost to supply, install and render strawbale walls and have the owner’s work with him and his team to reduce the cost. The cost of formulating any detailed quote is charged
Alternatively, Lance is able to provide a rough cost estimate and work actively with the owners to install and render the strawbale walls.
Contracting
Lance offers contract wall construction and sub contracting to other builders or owner builders. He can supply and install strawbale walls and render them anywhere in South Australia (also Queensland, other states will be considered).
Some of the projects that he has subcontracted on are
- Houses-including Adelaide, Loxton, Murray Bridge and Aldinga
- Home extensions-Adelaide, Gawler
- Commercial construction-high school eco science building, bio dynamic winery
- Feature garden walls-Goolwa Jekajeri Park, Murray Bridge Fraser Park School
Rendering
Lance has developed a pump for spray rendering. It is designed for use with small aggregate mortars, plaster, mud and other thick viscous materials. It enables render to be applied evenly and quickly to strawbales. Lance offers a spray rendering service for strawbale walls. He and the team spray render 1st and 2nd coats of strawbale walls, patching and shaping render to get the desired shape. Hand rendering for final coat is normal, for some small projects we hand render all 3 coats.
- Lance and his team offer you the choice of
- Rendering all coats
- Spray rendering 1st coat only
- Spray rendering1st and 2nd coats
- Assisting with preparation for final coat rendering and or
- Final coat rendering only
(Some owners assist in the rendering process and we are happy to accommodate this.)
Scott Goldie
With over 13 years strawbale experience, and 120 plus strawbale projects across Australia, Two Creative offers Hand crafted strawbale building services. Specialising in various natural finishes for strawbale buildings, including Lime, clay and polished finishes.
Shamus O'Reilly
At SO'R Construction we are passionate about the sustainable building Industry, with a keen interest in Strawbale buildings. We believe in building healthy homes that work for you. Through the use of solar passive design, our homes require little to no heating or cooling throughout the year, creating a comfortable environment for you and your family year round. We will always favor greener building materials ensuring your new home or renovation is as safe and healthy for you as possible.
We are not your typical Construction company, we work with our clients to provide practical and innovative solutions tailored to their needs. We will listen and advise you, together we can build your dream home. Experienced in many aspects of the building Industry, with highly skilled tradesman you can rest assured your job will be completed to the highest standard every time.
Building Designers
Bohdan Dorniak
Architects and Town Planners
With a client-centered approach which respects the client's wishes, needs, budgetary constraints and lifestyle, further consideration is given to energy demands and ongoing building efficiency and sustainability. Our challenge and commitment is to create a design to fulfill client needs and site conditions.
Ian & Tessa Redfern
Ian at Studio Redfern offers an innovative boutique design and mentoring service to our building clients with a focus on natural building materials utilizing passive solar design practices as we design your home.
Natural building encompasses the principals and practices of eco-healthy and sustainable (aka green) building. Passive solar design principles form the basis of all our designs, - even south facing homes can be designed to trap winter solar sun!
John Glassford
Huff and Puff Constructions have for many years been running straw bale house construction projects including workshops with clients who engage with others to establish a straw bale house in what might be called conventional straw bale methods.
Huff and Puff have also developed over a number of years a ‘prefab’ straw bale panel system known as Super Insulated Tilt Up Panels (SITUPS), which are manufactured in a factory ready for installation onsite.
Shamus O'Reilly
At SO'R Construction we are passionate about the sustainable building Industry, with a keen interest in Strawbale buildings. We believe in building healthy homes that work for you. Through the use of solar passive design, our homes require little to no heating or cooling throughout the year, creating a comfortable environment for you and your family year round. We will always favor greener building materials ensuring your new home or renovation is as safe and healthy for you as possible.
We are not your typical Construction company, we work with our clients to provide practical and innovative solutions tailored to their needs. We will listen and advise you, together we can build your dream home. Experienced in many aspects of the building Industry, with highly skilled tradesman you can rest assured your job will be completed to the highest standard every time.
Educators
Bohdan Dorniak
Architects and Town Planners
With a client-centered approach which respects the client's wishes, needs, budgetary constraints and lifestyle, further consideration is given to energy demands and ongoing building efficiency and sustainability. Our challenge and commitment is to create a design to fulfill client needs and site conditions.
John Glassford
Huff and Puff Constructions have for many years been running straw bale house construction projects including workshops with clients who engage with others to establish a straw bale house in what might be called conventional straw bale methods.
Huff and Puff have also developed over a number of years a ‘prefab’ straw bale panel system known as Super Insulated Tilt Up Panels (SITUPS), which are manufactured in a factory ready for installation onsite.
Lance Kairl
Products and Services
Consulting
Lance has an extensive knowledge of working with strawbale as a building medium and can provide consulting packages for designers, builders and owners. His consultancy will assist with
- Demystifying the building regulation and approval processes for strawbale
- Preliminary design considerations
- Construction techniques and viable options
- Technical support and instruction during design process
- Inspection of work in progress, written reports and remedial, rectification steps documented
Building
Our partnership G Thomas and L Kairl Builders is able to contract for full construction of your
- New home
- Extension
- Studio
- Feature garden walls
We will consider full contract construction in the Adelaide Hills, southern suburbs, Fluerieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. In some instances full construction in other areas will be seriously considered.
Assisting Owner Builders
Lance and his team can provide support during the whole process of your strawbale building project (see Building Works Supervisor), or just part of it.
Lance can provide a getting started package, (usually his team for 3 days) with occasional ongoing support.
He can provide a quoted cost to supply, install and render strawbale walls and have the owner’s work with him and his team to reduce the cost. The cost of formulating any detailed quote is charged
Alternatively, Lance is able to provide a rough cost estimate and work actively with the owners to install and render the strawbale walls.
Contracting
Lance offers contract wall construction and sub contracting to other builders or owner builders. He can supply and install strawbale walls and render them anywhere in South Australia (also Queensland, other states will be considered).
Some of the projects that he has subcontracted on are
- Houses-including Adelaide, Loxton, Murray Bridge and Aldinga
- Home extensions-Adelaide, Gawler
- Commercial construction-high school eco science building, bio dynamic winery
- Feature garden walls-Goolwa Jekajeri Park, Murray Bridge Fraser Park School
Rendering
Lance has developed a pump for spray rendering. It is designed for use with small aggregate mortars, plaster, mud and other thick viscous materials. It enables render to be applied evenly and quickly to strawbales. Lance offers a spray rendering service for strawbale walls. He and the team spray render 1st and 2nd coats of strawbale walls, patching and shaping render to get the desired shape. Hand rendering for final coat is normal, for some small projects we hand render all 3 coats.
- Lance and his team offer you the choice of
- Rendering all coats
- Spray rendering 1st coat only
- Spray rendering1st and 2nd coats
- Assisting with preparation for final coat rendering and or
- Final coat rendering only
(Some owners assist in the rendering process and we are happy to accommodate this.)
Engineers
Stephen Cole
Integral Consulting Engineers is an innovative Civil and Structural Engineering firm making a meaningful contribution to society and the environment. We are based in Hobart and currently service residential, commercial and industrial projects across Tasmania.
Our purpose is to co-create a healthy and regenerative culture amongst the built environment community.
Our vision is for our built environments to be inspiring and integrative with nature and people.
Suppliers
John Glassford
Huff and Puff Constructions have for many years been running straw bale house construction projects including workshops with clients who engage with others to establish a straw bale house in what might be called conventional straw bale methods.
Huff and Puff have also developed over a number of years a ‘prefab’ straw bale panel system known as Super Insulated Tilt Up Panels (SITUPS), which are manufactured in a factory ready for installation onsite.
Lance Kairl
Products and Services
Consulting
Lance has an extensive knowledge of working with strawbale as a building medium and can provide consulting packages for designers, builders and owners. His consultancy will assist with
- Demystifying the building regulation and approval processes for strawbale
- Preliminary design considerations
- Construction techniques and viable options
- Technical support and instruction during design process
- Inspection of work in progress, written reports and remedial, rectification steps documented
Building
Our partnership G Thomas and L Kairl Builders is able to contract for full construction of your
- New home
- Extension
- Studio
- Feature garden walls
We will consider full contract construction in the Adelaide Hills, southern suburbs, Fluerieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. In some instances full construction in other areas will be seriously considered.
Assisting Owner Builders
Lance and his team can provide support during the whole process of your strawbale building project (see Building Works Supervisor), or just part of it.
Lance can provide a getting started package, (usually his team for 3 days) with occasional ongoing support.
He can provide a quoted cost to supply, install and render strawbale walls and have the owner’s work with him and his team to reduce the cost. The cost of formulating any detailed quote is charged
Alternatively, Lance is able to provide a rough cost estimate and work actively with the owners to install and render the strawbale walls.
Contracting
Lance offers contract wall construction and sub contracting to other builders or owner builders. He can supply and install strawbale walls and render them anywhere in South Australia (also Queensland, other states will be considered).
Some of the projects that he has subcontracted on are
- Houses-including Adelaide, Loxton, Murray Bridge and Aldinga
- Home extensions-Adelaide, Gawler
- Commercial construction-high school eco science building, bio dynamic winery
- Feature garden walls-Goolwa Jekajeri Park, Murray Bridge Fraser Park School
Rendering
Lance has developed a pump for spray rendering. It is designed for use with small aggregate mortars, plaster, mud and other thick viscous materials. It enables render to be applied evenly and quickly to strawbales. Lance offers a spray rendering service for strawbale walls. He and the team spray render 1st and 2nd coats of strawbale walls, patching and shaping render to get the desired shape. Hand rendering for final coat is normal, for some small projects we hand render all 3 coats.
- Lance and his team offer you the choice of
- Rendering all coats
- Spray rendering 1st coat only
- Spray rendering1st and 2nd coats
- Assisting with preparation for final coat rendering and or
- Final coat rendering only
(Some owners assist in the rendering process and we are happy to accommodate this.)